Antenna rotation device



p 7, 1965 R. H. Vole-r 3,205,419

ANTENNA ROTATION DEVICE Filed April 25. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.|.

I L P.

ATTORNEYS Sept. 7, 1965 R. H. VOIGT ANTENNA ROTATION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25. 1960 f JNVENTOR. l2

ATTORNEYS United. States Patent Mich.

Filed Apr. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 24,280 7 Claims. (Cl. 31833) The present invention relates to rotary antennas and refers more particularly to an antenna rotating device operable to cause an antenna to automatically rotate to a selected one of a plurality of predetermined positions on actuation thereof.

It is desirable to be able to rotate receiving antennas into particular angular relationship with transmitting stations so that the most desirable signal may be received from the transmitting station. This is particularly true in the case of television receiving antennas located in the so-called fringe area of reception since transmitting stations may be located in different angular directions from the receiving antenna and a single antenna orientation would not therefore provide best reception of all transmitting stations. Thus it is necessary to provide antenna rotating means so that the receiving antenna may be properly oriented with respect to each transmitting station when receiving a signal from the particular transmitting station.

Antenna rotating device-s have been known in the past. However, many previous antenna rotating devices require the attention of an operator to permit alignment of the receiving antenna with a particular transmitting antenna to produce a maximum signal at the receiving antenna. Also, many of the known antenna rotating devices require reversible motors as drive means therefor which are more expensive than non-reversible motors. Furthermore, many known antenna rotating devices are complicated and unreliable.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide an antenna rotating device capable of automatically rotating an antenna into a predetermined position on actuation of a single switch.

Another object is to provide an antenna rotating device, as set forth above, wherein the predetermined position is adjustable so that a receiving antenna may be rotated into alignment with a particular transmitting antenna.

It is another object to provide an antenna rotating device wherein the drive means therefor is a non-reversible motor.

More specifically, an object is to provide an antenna rotating device comprising drive means connected in rotating relation to the antenna, selector means operable to activate the drive means to rotate the antenna to a predetermined position, and de-activating means automatically operable on the antenna rotating into the selected predetermined position to deactivate said drive means to prevent further rotation of the antenna.

Still more specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electric motor geared to the main antenna shaft of a rotary antenna to cause rotation thereof on activation of said motor, a cut-out switch including a grounded rotor connected to and rotatable with said main shaft, said grounded rotor being operable on rotation thereof to selectively engage contacts of said cut-out switch angularly positioned about an insulation base in proximity to said grounded rotor, a selector switch having a plurality of separate contacts operable to activate said motor through the armature of a relay associated therewith, and means for selectively connecting the coil of said relay to ground comprising the contacts of the selector switch and the contacts of said cut-out switch,

whereby on closing one of the contacts of the selector switch the motor is activated to rotate the antenna into a desired position associated with the contact closed and on the antenna rotating into the desired position the ground rotor is connected with the contact of the cutoff switch associated with the desired orientation of the antenna to energize said relay and de-activate said motor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an antenna rotating device which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and eflicient in use.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an antenna rotating device constructed according to the present invention particularly illustrating drive means for rotation of the antenna coupled to the antenna main mast, a cut-out switch including a grounded rotor and angularly spaced contacts on an insulation base, and an antenna slip ring assembly associated with said main mash FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the antenna rotating device illustrated in FIGURE 1 taken on the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partially diagrammatic and partially schematic diagram of the antenna rotating device of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 and illustrating the grounded rotor of the invention and a modified insulation base wherein means are provided for adjustably positioning the contacts on the base.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the modified insulation base of FIGURE 4 taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

With reference to the drawings a particular embodiment of the invention will now be described.

As shown best in FIGURE 3, the antenna rotating device of the invention comprises a drive unit and cutout switch generally indicated 10, which may be located at the base of an antenna main shaft and a control unit generally indicated 12 which may be located near a receiving set (not shown).

The drive unit 10 includes the motor 14, appropriate gear drive means 16 between motor 14 and main shaft 18 of an antenna; an antenna including active elements 20 and 22, conductors 24 and 26, and slip ring connectors 28 and 30. The antenna drive unit 10 also includes a cut-out switch 35 having an insulation base 36 with contacts 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46 spaced therearound and a grounded rotor 48.

The control means 12 includes a selector switch 50 having contacts 78, 80, 82, 84 and 86 and push buttons 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 and as shown, power transformer 52, power switch 54, relay 56 having armature 57 and contacts 58 and 60, current limiting resistor 61 and indicator lamp 62.

In operation on closing any one of the contacts in switch 50, the motor 14 is caused to be activated to rotate the antenna main shaft 18 and, therefore, the active members 20 and 22 of the antenna into a predetermined position associated with the particular contact of switch 50. On the antenna assuming the predetermined position associated with the closed contact of the selector switch 50, relay coil 56 is energized due to being grounded through cut-out switch 35 as will be explained in more detail subsequently whereby the motor 14 is deactivated to stop further rotation of said antenna.

The motor 14, drive means 16, antenna main shaft 18, slip ring connectors 28 and 30, conductors 24, 26, 32 and 34, and cut-out switch 35 are more specifically shown in FIGURE 1. The motor 14 in a desired embodiment may be a series wound universal type motor with a horse power rating of at least th at 5,000 revolutions p'er minute. Motor 14 should be capable of operating on an alternating voltage of approximately 24 volts with maximum current consumption of 1000 milliamps.

The gear drive 16, as shown, is a reduction type drive using a series of standard involute spur gears. It is designed to rotate the antenna at one and one-half to two revolutions per minute with a minimum of thirty foot pounds of torque.

The lower end of the main antenna shaft 18, the motor 14, drive means 16, the slip rings 28 and 30, the ground rotor 48 and the insulation base 36, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, are adapted to be enclosed in a water and weather tight housing diagrammatically illustrated at 101 which may be positioned at the base of the antenna main shaft as shown.

The antenna main shaft 18 includes therein the outer conductor of the coaxial cable 26 and an inner conductor 24 thereof with insulation 66 between the inner conductor 24 and outer conductor 26 and the outer conductor 26 and the main shaft 18. Coaxial cable 26 is connected at its upper end as shown in FIGURE 3 to active antenna elements 20 and 22 and at its lower end to slip rings 28 and 30.

As shown best in FIGURE 1, a rotor and slip ring shaft 68 is connected to and extends below the main antenna shaft 18 to carry the slip rings 28 and 30 which are internally connected to the inner and outer conductors 24 and 26 of the coaxial cable. Slip ring brushes 70 and 72 are provided to transfer signals from the slip rings 28 and 30 to the conductors 32 and 34. The rotor and slip ring drive shaft 68 is grounded and, therefore, the rotor 43 is, likewise, grounded and, as shown, rotates with the rotation of the main shaft 18.

The insulation base 36 is indicated in position relative to the rotor 48 in FIGURE 1. The insulation base 36 is a disk of insulating material with contacts 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46 thereon, which are shown more clearly in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5. The insulation base 36 may be supported about its periphery by convenient means in the housing 101 surrounding the motor, drive means and main antenna shaft, in the position indicated in FIGURE 1. The contact members are positioned on the base 36 illustrated in FIGURE 2 in equal angularly spaced relation to each other. Thus, the five contacts illustrated in FIGURE 2 would be spaced at approximately 72 degrees from each other and as the rotor rotates it sequentially makes connection with each of the contacts.

The insulating base 36a, shown in FIGURE 4, is modified with respect to the base 36 shown in FIGURE 2 in that the contacts positioned thereon are adjustable angularly with respect to each other. Angular adjustment of the contacts will allow for seting the antenna rotating device to stop the antenna in the exact desired position to receive a maximum signal from a transmitting antenna located in a particular direction with respect to the receiving antenna as will be more apparent later. As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the adjustable feature of the contacts of the modified insulation disk 36a is accomplished through the use of arcuate slots 74 in the insulation base 36a in conjunction with bolt and nut type contacts 38a, 40a, 42a, 44a and 46a as illustrated in FIGURE 5.

The selector switch 50 of the control means 12 which is of the known type used for push button tuning of radios, includes the series of contacts 78, 80, 32, 84 and 86 which may be closed on pressing of their associated push bottons 88, 90, 92, 94 and 96 respectively. The

closing of any contact on the pressing of the associated push button will automatically open any other contact previously pressed. Further, the closing of any contact will cause the power switch 54 to be closed whereby power is provided from power cord 98 which may be connected to a source of electrical energy (not shown) to transformer 52. Push button 100 associated with the selector switch 50 is provided to open the power switch 54 at any time it is desired to deenergize the antenna rotating device.

The secondary winding of power transformer 52 is connected to ground at one side thereof and is connected to energize the motor 14 through relay armature 57 and contact 58 when relay coil 56 is not energized and a contact of switch 50 is closed. The secondary winding of power transformer 52 is also connected in a parallel circuit through relay coil 56, current limiting resistor 61, indicator lamp 62, and the closed one of the contacts of the selector switch 50 to the associated Contact on the insulation base 36 and to ground through the grounded rotor 48 when the rotor is in contact with the particular contact on the insulation base 36 associated with the closed contact of selector switch 50. A circuit is thus completed on closing a contact of selector switch 50 to energize the motor 14 which will cause the antenna to be rotated until the rotor 48, which is rotated with the antenna main shaft 18 makes contact with the particular contact on the insulated base associated with the particular contact of the selector switch 50 which has been closed. At this time relay 56 will be energized to disconnect the power from the motor whereby the antenna will be caused to stop rotating in the selected position as will become more evident as the overall operation of the antenna rotating device is explained.

In overall operation of the antenna rotating device described, it will be assumed that the desired orientation of the antenna will be the orientation which the antenna assumes when the rotor 48 is in contact with one of the contacts on the insulation base 36. As has previously been discussed the insulation base 36a shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5 may be used with applicants antenna rotating device and the angular position of the contacts set to correspond, for instance, to the angular direction of television stations from a particular television receiving set. The push buttons 88, 90, 92, 94 and 96 and their associated contacts 78, 82, 84 and 86 are thus also associated with a particular transmitting station since they are connected to the contacts 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46 on the contact base, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Thus, when it is desired to rotate the antenna to a position wherein a maximum signal will be received from a particular transmitting station the push button of the selector switch 50, which is associated with that particular direction, for example push button 96, is pressed to close switch 54 and to close contact 86. Closing switch 54 energizes the primary winding of the transformer 52 through power cord 98 as previously indicated. The secondary winding of transformer 52 is, therefore, energized to actuate motor 14 through conductor 104, relay armature 57, and contact 58, connector 106 to the ground connection indicated at 108.

As the antenna main shaft rotated the grounded rotor connected through shaft 68 to the rotating antenna main mast 18 makes connection with contacts 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46 in order. As the antenna main shaft 18 rotates into the position wherein the grounded rotor 48 makes connection with contact 42, a circuit will be completed through conductor 104, relay coil 56, current limiting resistor 61, indicator lamp 62, contact 86, lead 110, contact 46 and the rotor 48 to ground. The relay coil 56 will thus be energized to cause the armature 57 to connect with contact 60 thereby breaking the activating circuit to motor 14 to stop the rotation thereof.

Thus, it will be seen that on pressing of one of the push buttons on the selector switch 50, the antenna is rotated to a predetermined position and automatically stops in such position. If it is desired to change the angular position of the antenna, it is only necessary to push a different one of the push buttons 88, 90, 92, 94 and 96 on the selector switch S0 to cause rotation of the antenna into the position associated with the different push buttons in the manner just described. When it is no longer desired to reorient the antenna push button 100 on selector switch 50 may be depressed to open switch 54 thereby deenergizing the power transformer 52.

It will therefore be seen that applicant has provided an antenna rotating device wherein a non-reversible motor may be used to drive the rotating antenna. Also it will be noted that with applicants device, an operator need only push a particular button and the antenna will stop at the desired position without further attention. Furthermore, applicants device is uncomplicated to manufacture, simple to use, and eificient in operation.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved antenna rotation device in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An antenna rotating device comprising an antenna, an electric motor, drive means connecting said electric motor to the antenna to produce rotation of the antenna on energization of said electric motor, a source of electrical energy, selector switch means operable to connect said source of electrical energy to said electric motor to energize said motor to produce rotation of said antenna into a selected position, and electrical means for completing an electric circuit only when the antenna is in the selected position operably associated with said selector switch means for disconnecting the source of electrical energy from said electric motor only in response to rotation of the antenna into the selected position thereby preventing further rotation of said antenna.

2. An antenna rotating device comprising an antenna, an electric motor connected to rotate in only one direction, drive means connecting said electric motor to the antenna to produce rotation of the antenna in a single direction on energization of said electric motor, a source of electrical energy, selector switch means operable to connect said source of electrical energy to said electric motor to energize said motor to produce rotation of said antenna into a selected position, and electrical means for completing an electric circuit only when the antenna is in the selected position operably associated with said selector switch means for disconnecting the source of electrical energy from said electric motor only in response to rotation of the antenna into the selected position thereby preventing further rotation of said antenna.

3. A rotatable grounded antenna, and means for se lectively rotating the antenna into a plurality of predetermined adjustable positions comprising an electrically conducting contact finger electrically connected to and rotatable with said antenna, an insulating disk having a plurality of electric contacts adjustably mounted in angularly spaced relation about the periphery thereof positioned adjacent the contact finger to provide engagement of the contact finger with separate ones of said contacts on rotation of said antenna, an electric motor connected to be driven in a single direction and engaged with the antenna to produce rotation of the antenna in a single direction on energization of the motor, a source of electrical energy for energizing said motor, a selector switch having a separate contact corresponding to each of said contacts on said disk, means for completing a circuit to said motor from said source of electrical energy on closing any of the separate contacts of the selector switch when the antenna is not oriented in a direction associated with the contact on the disk corresponding to the closed contact, and a second circuit from said source of electrical energy through said closed contact of the selector switch operable on being completed through the corre sponding contact on the insulating disk when the antenna is rotated into the predetermined position defined by the closed contact and corresponding contact on the insulating disk to break the circuit energizing the motor and stop the antenna in the predetermined position.

4. A rotatable grounded antenna, electric motor means, means connecting said motor means to said antenna for rotating said antenna on energization of said motor means, an electrically conducting contact finger electrically connected to and rotatable with said antenna, an insulating disk mounted adjacent said contact finger, a plurality of electric contacts mounted on said insulating disk in angularly spaced relation about the periphery thereof for alternative engagement with said contact finger on rotation of said antenna, a transformer including a primary and secondary winding, means for selectively energizing said primary winding of said transformer, a selector switch including a plurality of sets of selectively engageable electrical contacts, a solenoid actuated switch including a solenoid coil and a switch armature, a first series electric circuit including a ground connection, the secondary winding of the transformer, said solenoid coil and one side of each of the sets of contacts in parallel, a separate connection from the other side of each of the sets of contacts to separate contacts on the insulating disk and a separate series circuit through the switch armature of said solenoid actuated switch and said motor in parallel with the motor for energizing the solenoid operated switch to break the circuit through the switch armature to deenergize the switch armature and stop the antenna rotation after the antenna has been rotated into a position corresponding to a selected set of contacts of the selector switch.

5. Structure as set forth in claim 4 including means for angularly adjustably positioning said electrical contacts on said insulating disk.

6. Structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein said electrical contact members on said insulating disk are nuts and bolts and said means for angularly adjusting said contact members comprises arcuate slots in said disk extending circumferentially of said disk through which said bolts extend.

7. Structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein said motor is unidirectional.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,869,648 8/32 Ashworth 200166 1,913,617 7/33 Smith 200-166 2,345,928 4/44 Foster 200-6 2,565,334 8/51 Weingarden 318467 2,695,382 11/54 Wheatley et al. 318468 2,794,162 5/57 Lifsey 318467 X 2,913,655 11/59 ONeill 3l8467 ORIS L. RADER, Primary Examiner.

MILTON O. HIRSHFIELD, JOHN F. COUCH,

Examiners. 

1. AN ANTENNA ROTATING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ANTENNA, AN ELCTRIC MOTOR, DRIVE MEANS CONNECTING SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR TO THE ANTANNA TO PRODUCE ROTATION OF THE ANTENNA ON ENERGIZATION OF SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR, A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY, SELECTOR SWITCH MEANS OPERABLE TO CONNECT SAID SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR TO ENERGIZE SAID MOTOR TO PRODUCE ROTATION OF SAID ANTENNA INTO SELECTED POSITION, AND ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR COMPLETING AN ELECTRCI CIRCUIT ONLY WHEN THE ANTENNA IS IN THE 